Medical Card Application Query

[widescreen]

Myself and wife are thinking of applying for a medical card, gp only.
She is on job seekers benefit, I am now in a low paying job so we are below the income threshold, which is why we feel we should be entitled to it

There is one question on the form about whether you own property other than your main residence.

Basically, we do own a semi d, which is rented but between rent received and what we pay to back up the mortgage,insurance,bin charges etc we are losing about €400 a month on the damn thing.

My question is- could owning this place stop us getting the card? thanks

 

[gm88]

Check out www.medicalcard.ie

If you input all your info and figures, it will calculate whether you are entitled to a Medical Card, GP Visit Card or nothing. One application covers all.

If you do quality, it offers you a printout of the form to print off & return to them by post with any necessary proof of documents.

 

[Thrifty]

For most benefits an investment property is calculated on the Capital value which means they will look at how much is it worth. If its the same as the mortgage outstanding or in negative equity it should attract no value. i don't know specifically about the GP card but you can be over the limit and apply for a medical card on hardship grounds, particularily if you have high mortgage payments/ outgoings and on going medical needs/ costs. Its worth sticking a letter with your application explaining your situation, if approp medical needs, costs of these in the last year... and ask for your application to be considered on harddhip grounds if you do not qualify on financial.

 

[Ildánach]

Capital is treated differently for medical card purposes than for most social welfare payments. Here are the rules in brief from Citizens Information, with links to follow if you want more detail

Property (other than family home)

Where land/buildings are leased to another person, the income to be assessed will be the gross income, less any cost necessarily incurred associated with the property and such cost may include insurance premiums, loan/mortgage repayments, maintenance etc.
Where land/buildings, which are not being used but are capable of being leased or sold then the following assessment options can be used, with the more beneficial option applying to the applicant:

• Notional assessment of the rental/lease “going rate” for the area.
• Assessment of capital value as in the table for capital, above.

[broken link removed].
The HSE has published [broken link removed] for those aged under 70 years.

 

[Ildánach]

Basically, we do own a semi d, which is rented but between rent received and what we pay to back up the mortgage,insurance,bin charges etc we are losing about €400 a month on the damn thing.

Just on a side-note, i'm not sure whether you can properly consider all your mortgage repayment on the second property as a "cost". The interest is clearly a cost, but repayment of the principal is an investment, not a cost. You're not losing 400 a month, you are paying 400 a month to end up with a unmortgaged property!! The only person losing money is the tenant who is paying your mortgage for you.

But it is a little unclear from the above guidelines what they mean, but they do suggest that all of your re-mortgage repayment will be deducted from your gross income from the property, which would mean the second property would not affect your medical card application.

I would check with them first (or alternatively just submit the application and they'll soon tell you if you don't qualify).

 

[Ildánach]

Just ran this by the HSE helpline. Full mortgage payments are deducted when calculating the income from the property. Happy days for landlords! The OP should be fine with medical card application.